Thursday, November 20, 2008

Antiwar groups fear Barack Obama may create hawkish Cabinet

Antiwar groups and other liberal activists are increasingly concerned at signs that Barack Obama's national security team will be dominated by appointees who favored the Iraq invasion and hold hawkish views on other important foreign policy issues.

If these antiwar groups had read the October 2008 edition of Reason Magazine, this news would be less surprising. Here’s what columnist David Weigel had to say about Obama’s foreign policy views:

He has called for, or retroactively endorsed, interventions in Zimbabwe, Pakistan, and Sudan. He has advocated a humanitarian-based foreign policy for his entire public career. Since coming to the U.S. Senate in 2005, he has built up a brain trust of academics and ex-Clintonites who, like him, challenge the logic of the Iraq war but not the logic of wars like Iraq. John McCain looks at American military power and sees a way to "roll back" rogue states. Obama looks at American military power and sees a way to solve international and intranational conflict, regardless of the conflict's immediate impact on national security. McCain seeks to aggressively confront imminent threats. Obama wants to do the same, while forestalling threats of tomorrow with just as much military vigor.

If antiwar groups were was looking to Obama to restore the American non-interventionist tradition, they picked the wrong candidate.

Comments

Mr. Johnston,
For someone who is sensible to Ron Paul's point of vue, don't tell me this comes to you as a suprise.

Posted by: Marc | 2008-11-20 12:21:28 PM

This will be the most paranoid administration in history, as well as the most interventionist. People started predicting Obama's demise two years before the election. How can that not have an effect on his policies?

I suspect the military complex will have little trouble selling their plans to a guy who feels threatened already.

Posted by: dp | 2008-11-20 12:27:02 PM

Jan 21, 2009 - one day into President Obama's administration, he calls up former President Bush for advice.